Actuator cap construction for aerosol dispenser



Aug. 10, 1965 H. e. LEHMANN ACTUATOR CAP CONSTRUCTION FOR AEROSOLDISPENSER Filed March 25, 1963 United States Patent 3,199,741 ACTUATQRCA CGNSTRUCTIGN F813 AEROSQL lBlSlENSER Herbert G, Lehmaun, Easton,Comm, assignor to Valve (Jorporation of America, Bridgeport, Conn., acorporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 25, 1963, Ser. No. 267,710 9 Claims.(Cl. 222-482) This invention relates to small hand-held aerosoldispensers, and more particularly to one-piece plastic actuator capconstructions thereof.

There have been proposed in the past various actuator caps for the abovepurpose, some of which were constituted entirely of a single moldedpiece of plastic composition and comprised essentially a stationary bodyportion and a movable valve actuator portion joined to each other by asingle web or strip which functioned as a hinge, in connecting themovable actuator portion to the stationary body portion. The connectingweb held the actuator portion captive on the body portion, and inaddition to such function it enabled the entire cap to be molded as asingle piece, eliminating assembly operations, close fits and tolerancesbetween the two relatively movable parts of the cap, etc.

While such prior one-piece plastic cap construction has appeared to bepractical and feasible, it had a distinct disadvantage in that itcoupled a hingedly connected and swingable actuator piece or button to avalve stem which was only linearly movable, that is, movable verticallyin a straight line. Under certain circumstances of operation andconstruction this type of mismatch did not cause difficulty. However, ifthe action of the valve stem was at all critical, either due to itsparticular construction or else because of the materials employed infabricating it and also the bearing which carried it, any slight cantingor tilting of the stern could prove to be undesirable, espe cially afteran extended period of use wherein the results of wear would be felt. Inaddition to this drawback, the making of the connection between arelatively large movable piece or portion of the plastic capconstruction and another relatively large piece or portion by means ofbut a single thin frangible web required that a certain amount of carehad to be taken in stripping the molded piece from the cavities,handling the same and assembling it to the aerosol container.lviisalignment of the actuator portion with respect to the stationarycap body portion could easily occur because of the single thin webconnection, and this required care to be exercised, especially duringthe assembly of the cap construction to the container.

The above drawbacks and disadvantages of prior onepiece molded plasticactuator cap constructions are obviated by the present invention, andone object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved moldedactuator cap for the purpose specified and constituted as a singlepiece, wherein the movable actuator portion While held captive on thestationary body portion and johied thereto by thin and flexible webmeans, is so supported and mounted as to have inherently a straight linevertical movement which is virtually identical to and compatible withthe straight line vertical movement of the valve stem of the aerosoldispenser, thereby eliminating any tendency for tilting or canting ofthe valve stem during operation of the aerosol device.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved actuator capconstruction constituted of a single molded plastic piece as above setforth, wherein the movable actuator portion is accurately supported andmounted to maintain its proper initial position, and not likely toeasily become misaligned or misplaced.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improvedone-piece plastic actuator cap construction as above characterized,wherein the movable actuator portion is sturdily supported by virtue ofbeing held by a plurality of flexible webs located at widely spacedpoints, thus obviating the necessity for exercising special care in thestripping and handling of the cap, and assembling of the same to theaerosol device.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a novelone-piece molded actuator cap in accordance with the foregoing, which isrelatively simple, economical to fabricate, and which possesses knowncharacteristics which make for ease of operation when mounted on thecontainer.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of anadvantageous actuator cap construction as outlined, wherein the actuatorportion is guarded and prevented from being inadvertently operated, andwherein said actuator portion and the cap body are of relatively largesize (sometimes referred to as of the jumbo type), thereby facilitatingthe use of the device and enhancing the appearance of the dispenser as awhole.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, similar characters ofreference are used to designate like components throughout the severalviews, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the improved one-piece molded actuator capconstruction as provided by the invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the actuator cap construction.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the cap construction.

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the cap construction.

FiG. 5 is an axial sectional view of the cap construction, taken on theline 5-5 of FIG. 1 and showing also a portion of an aerosol containerand valve stem carried thereby.

Referring now particularly to the figures, there is shown in FIG. 5 theupper portion it of a pressurized aerosol container, said portionincluding a reduced necl; 12, an annular collar 14 above the neck 12,and an upstanding depressible hollow valve stem 16.

In accordance with the invention there is provided an improved actuatorcap adapted to be mounted on the container portion 1% said cap beingconstituted as a onepiece plastic molding and comprising essentially twosalient parts, a stationary cap body part designated generally by thenumeral 18 and a movable valve actuator part or portion designatedgenerally by the numeral 29. The said portions 18 and 20 are integralwith each other, being secured together in operative relation by aplurality of thin and elongate flexible tie webs 22.

By the invention, the disposition and nature of the tie webs 22 are suchthat the movable actuator portion 20 of the cap construction has avertical, essentially straight line or linear movement as distinguishedfrom an arcuate or curvilinear movement. The movable actuator portion 26is in the form of a button, having a sloping top wall 24 at theunderside of which there is a depending hollow boss 26 provided with acentral bore 28 in which is received the upstanding hollow valve stem 16of the aerosol device. The button or actuator 20 also has, disposedbelow the sloping top wall 24-, a laterally extending discharge passagewhich is provided in a dependent hollow rib 3f), the bore 32 of the ribcommunicating with the bore 28 of the boss 26 as shown in FIG. 5. At itsoutermost end, the rib 30 is provided with a usual type of orifice 34.Extending around the peripheral edge of the top wall 24 of the button 29is a depending curved flange 36 which strengthens the top wall andprovides rigidity to the button.

The stationary or cap body portion 18 of the cap construction comprisesa curved or convex top wall 38 from which there depend two annular andconcentric, spaced depending skirts 40 and 42, the latter being disposedinside of the outer skirt 40. The annular skirt 40 constitutes the outerwall of the cap body and is preferably substantially cylindrical asshown, being so arranged that its lower edge 44 rests in the annulargroove 46 extending within the shoulder 48 provided by the crimpedportions of the container side wall and the neck 12.

The bottom edge 50 of the inner depending skirt 42 is provided with aninwardly projecting detent shoulder 52 adapted to be snapped past theretainer collar 14 of the aerosol container, for the purpose of securingthe cap body in place. Vertical ribs or stops 56 extending within theinner skirt 42 engage the top surface of the collar 14 to position thecap body, in conjunction with the detent shoulder 52.

Extending along .the inner edge of the top wall 38 of the cap body is adepending flange 58, which has a generally circular configuration asshown in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 5, the depending flange 58 connects with a pairof depending walls 60, said walls being joined at the front of the capbody to the annular exterior wall or skirt 40.

As further provided by the invention, the depending connecting webs 22are joined respectively to the cap body 18 and actuator portion 20 bybeing connected respectively to the depending flanges 58 and 36 wherebythey are largely hidden from view. This construction may be observed inFIG. 5, for example. The depending webs are seen to be U-shaped, andcomprise relatively thin and wide flexible strips having elongate,generally parallel leg portions 64 and 66 joined to each other by ashort curved yoke portion 68. As seen in FIG. 2, a total of sevenconnecting webs is provided. However, either a greater or a lessernumber may be utilized, without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Referring to FIG. 2, an extensive, fairly wide U-shaped slot 70 is seento exist between the inner and outer depending flanges 36 and 58respectively of the actuator button 20 and cap body 18. The tie Webs 22are located along the said slot 70 and provide a multiplicity offlexible connections between the actuator button and the cap body,functioning in such a manner that the button may have substantially avertical linear movement, without any arcuate component. This movementmatches the purely linear movement of the hollow valve stem 16, wherebythe latter and the button 20 are perfectly compatible. Thus, when thebutton 20 is depressed it may completely follow the guidance of thevalve stem 16, both having linear vertical movement whereby there isminimized any tendency to tilting or canting of the valve stem.Accordingly, the likelihood of such stem binding, or wearing appreciablyon one side or another is virtually eliminated.

It will be noted that the tie webs 22 may be considered as grouped inpairs of oppositely disposed units, except for the single centrallylocated web. Such grouping of oppositely disposed webs provides foropposed actions and forces on the button 20, resulting in linearity ofmovement, as will now be understood.

It will be understood that the disposition and arrangement of the tiewebs 22, together with the cap body portion 18 and the actuator buttonportion 20 all contribute to enabling the cap construction to be readilymolded in simple mold cavities, with a minimum of complications. Exceptfor the transverse bore 32 of the button 20, the cap construction may bereadily stripped from the mold cavities, due to the configurationemployed in conjunction with the resilience and yieldability of theplastic substance, such properties making feasible the stripping inspite of the annular internal detent shoulder 52 on the depending skirt42.

It will be further noted that those two webs which straddle the orificeportion of the actuator button 20 (the webs closest to the outer wall 40of the cap body) in part eflect a desirable stability to such orificeportion. Likewise, those three webs which are farthest from the orifice34 of the button 20 tend to guide the lower portion of the top wall 24of the button, said lower portion often receiving a major portion of thefinger pressure which is exerted on the button. Thus, the particulardisposition of the tie webs 22 effects a stabilization of the button, inconjunction with the restraint provided by the upstanding valve stem 16;Since the support provided for the button by the tie webs 22 is such asto readily permit vertical linear movement of the button whilediscouraging tilting or arcuate movement, the valve action involving theactuator portion 20 is smooth and surprisingly easy, and I attributethis in part also to the absence of any frictional engagement betweenthe actuator button portion 20 of the cap and the remainder comprisingthe stationary body portion 18. It will be readily appreciated that theonly frictional resistance to actuation or depressing movement of thebutton 20 is offered by the mounting for the valve stem 16 (inconjunction with the valve return spring), and such resistance isconfined to small diameters whereby it does not appreciably interferewith downward movement of the button. The appreciable width of the slotwhich separates the button 20 from the cap body portion 18, inconjunction with the restraint provided by the tie webs 22 and the valvestem 16 effectively prevents rubbing of the button on the cap body.

The cap construction as illustrated herein may be advantageously moldedof a plastic composition compounded to give a resilient and yieldableend product, such as formulations of polyethylene and the like. Withsuch resilient plastic construction the tie webs 22 readily yield theslight extent required to enable the depress button 20 and valve stem 16to have the full path of travel required.

Whereas the present improved one-piece actuator cap construction isillustrated as having a specific preferred form in the drawingsaccompanying this specification, it will be understood that the novelmultiple tie web organization associated with the stationary cap bodyand movable actuator button may be incorporated in other styles andshapes of cap without departing from the spirit of the invention.Modifications and variations may be made within the scope of the claims,and portions of the improvement may be used without others.

I claim:

1. An aerosol actuator comprising, in combination:

(a) a stationary cap body having an outer tubular peripher-al wall,

(b) said body having an expansive top wall provided with a centeredopening,

(c) said top wall having a flange depending from an edge of the topopening, all portions of said flange being located below the immediatelyadjacent portions of the top wall,

(d) a finger-engageable depress button disposed in said centered openingand separated from said depending flange by space, said button havingmeans engage able with a movable valve stem of an aerosol con tainer toactuate the stem, said button having an eX-' I pansive top surface forengagement by an operating finger, and having a discharge passage and anorifice at the end of the discharge passage, through which the aerosolsubstance passes,

(e) an integral tie web extending between and joining the said buttonand bottom of the depending flange of the cap body, said web supportingthe button centralized in the top opening for limited downward movementto operate the valve stem,

(f) said web being downwardly removed from the top edge of said centeredopening and thereby partially concealed from view,

(g) said web being disposed substantially at the same level as the saidvalve stem g gabJ1Q means to.

minimize horizontal movement of said means when the button is shifteddownward to depress the valve stem to its discharging position.

2. An actuator as in claim 1, wherein:

(a) said depress button has a depending flange disposed inwardly of andspaced from the flange of the cap body,

(b) said tie web being joined to the flange of the depress button.

3. In an aerosol dispenser, a manually operable onepiece molded plasticcap construction comprising, in combination: 7

(a) a stationary cap body having means for securing it to a pressurizedcontainer, said body having an expansive top wall and an upstandingperipheral wall of tubular shape located below the top wall, having insaid top wall a top access opening with inner edge portions borderingsaid opening, said inner edge portions comprising a flange dependingfrom and being located below immediately adjacent portions of a said topwall of the cap body,

(b) a manually engageable depressible valve-actuator button disposedwithin the access opening of the body and separated therefrom by space,said button having a discharge passage and orifice for the aerosolsubstance, and being accessible at the top of the body, said buttonhaving a top finger engageable surface and being engageable with a valvestem of the container to receive aerosol substance therefrom and todepress the same, and having outer edge portions extending along andspaced .from the inner edge portions and flange of the cap body; and

(c) a plurality of flexible tie webs integral with the said cap body andactuator button, mounting the latter in the body for limited whollystraight-line vertical movement while holding the button captive andtending to maintain it with the axis thereof parallel to the axis of thecap body,

(d) said tie webs being connected to under portions of a said spacedinner and outer edge portion of the body and button respectively andbeing thereby at least partially concealed from view when the capconstruction is observed from the exterior.

4. In an aerosol dispenser, a manually operable onepiece molded plasticcap construction comprising, in combination:

(a) a stationary cap body having means for securing it to a pressurizedcontainer, said body having an upstanding peripheral wall of tubularshape, having a top access opening and having inner edge portionsbordering said opening,

(b) a depressible valve-actuator button disposed within the accessopening of the body and accessible at the top of the latter, said buttonbeing engageable with a valve stem of the container to depress the same,and having outer edge portions extending along and spaced from the inneredge portions of the cap body; and

(c) a plurality of of flexible tie webs integral with a said cap bodyand actuator button, mounting the latter in the body for limited whollystraight-l ne vertical movement while holding the button captive andtending to maintain it with the axis thereof parallel to the axis of thecap body,

(d) said tie webs being connected to under portions of a said spacedinner and outer edge portion of the body and button respectively andbeing thereby at least partially concealed from view when the capconstruction is observed from the exterior,

(e) said tie webs being U-shaped with substantially parallel legportions and with yoke portions oming said leg portions, said websextending downward from the extremities of the legs, with the yokeportions of the webs located lowermost.

5. A cap construction as in claim 4, wherein:

(a) an inwardly extended flange is provided on the 5 uppermost portionsof the cap body wall defining the access opening of the body, said inneredge portions of the body constituting the inner rim of said flange, and

(b) extremities of the legs of said webs are joined to under portions ofa said inner rim of said flange.

6. In an aerosol dispenser, a manually operable onepiece molded plasticcap construction comprising, in combination:

(a) a stationary cap body having means for securing it to a pressurizedcontainer, said body having an upstanding peripheral wall of tubularshape, having a top access opening and having inner edge portionsbordering said opening,

(b) a depressible valve-actuator button disposed within the accessopening of the body and accessible at the top of the latter, said buttonbeing engageable with a valve stem of the container to depress the same,and having outer edge portions extending along and spaced from the inneredge portions of the cap body; and

(c) a plurality of flexible tie webs integral with a said cap body andactuator button, mounting the latter in the body for limited whollystraight-line vertical movement while holding the button captive andtending to maintain it with the axis thereof parallel to the axis of thecap body,

(d) said tie webs being connected to under portions of a said spacedinner and outer edge portion of the body and button respectively andbeing thereby at least partially concealed from view when the capconstruction is observed from the exterior,

(e) said peripheral wall of the cap body having an opening in its upperportion,

(f) said actuator button being lozenge-shaped and having an orificeportion at one end, disposed adjacent to and inward of said opening.

7. A cap construction as in claim 6, wherein:

(a) the tie webs are disposed in a U-shaped formation.

8. In an aerosol dispenser, a manually operable onepiece molded plasticcap construction comprising, in combination:

(a) a stationary cap body having means for secuning it to a pressurizedcontainer, said body having an upstanding peripheral wall of tubularshape, having a top access opening and having inner edge portionsbordering said opening,

(-b) a depressible valve-actuator button disposed within the accessopening of the body and accessible at the top of the latter, said buttonbeing engageable with a valve stem of the container to depress the same,and having outer edge portions extending along and spaced from the inneredge portions of the cap body; and

(c) a plurality of flexible tie webs integral with a said cap body andactuator button, mounting the latter in the body for limited whollystraight-line vertical movement while holding the button captive andtending to maintain it with the axis thereof parallel to the axis of thecap body,

(-d) said tie webs being connected to under port-ions of a said spacedinner and outer edge portion of the body and button respectively andbeing thereby at least partially concealed irom view when the capconstruction is observed from the exterior,

(e) said button having a curved periphery, and

(if) said tie webs comprising relatively thin and wide elongate stripsof U-shaped configuration, having elongate substantially parallel andfiat leg portions some of which are connected to the curved periphery ofthe button and depend therefrom.

9. In an aerosol dispenser, a manually operable onep-iece molded plasticcap construction comprising, in combination:

(a) a stationary cap body having means for securing it to a pressurizedcontainer, said body having an upstanding peripheral wall of tubularshape, having a top access opening and having inner edge portionsbordering said opening,

(b) a depressible valve-actuator button disposed within the accessopening of the body and accessible at the top of the latter, said buttonbeing engageable with a valve stem of the container to depress the same,and having outer edge portions extending along and spaced from the"inner edge portions of the cap body; and

(c) -a plurality of flexible tie webs integral with a said cap body andactuator button, mounting the latter in the body for limited whollystraight-line vertical movement while holding the button captive andtending to maintain it with the axis thereof parallel to the axis of thecap body,

(d) said tie webs being connected to under portions of a said spacedinner and outer edge portion of the body and button respectively andbeing thereby at least partially concealed from view when the capconstruction is observed from the exterior,

(e) said cap body having an inwardly extending flange References Citedby the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,573,624 10/51 Svendsen.2,714,475 8/55 Roehrich 222l82 X 3,104,034 9/63 Sagarin et a1. 222-182FOREIGN PATENTS 547,740 5/56 Belgium. 726,162 3/55 Great Brita-in.

EVERETT W. KIRBY, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS J. DEMBO, Examiner.

1. AN AEROSOL ACTUATOR COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) A STATIONARY CAPBODY HAVING AN OUTER TUBULAR PERIPHERAL WALL, (B) SAID BODY HAVING ANEXPANSIVE TOP WALL PROVIDED WITH A CENTERED OPENING, (C) SAID TOP WALLHAVING A FLANGE DEPENDING FROM AN EDGE OF THE TOP OEPNING, ALL PORTIONSOF SAID FLANGE BEING LOCATED BELOW THE IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT PORTIONS OFTHE TOP WALLS, (D) A FINGER-ENGAGEABLE DEPRESS BUTTON DISPOSED IN SAIDCENTERED OPENING AND SEPARATED FROM SAID DEPENDING FLANGE BY SPACE, SAIDBUTON HAVING MEANS ENGAGEABLE WITH A MOVABLE VALVE STEM OF AN AEROSOLCONTAINER TO ACTUATE THE STEM, SAID BUTTON HAVING AN EXPANSIVE TOPSURFACE FOR ENAGEMENT BY AN OPERATING FINGER, AND HAVING A DISCHARGEPASSAGE, THROUGH WHICH AT THE END OF THE DISCHARGE PASSAGE, THROUGHWHICH THE AEROSOL SUBSTANCE PASSES, (E) AN INTEGRAL TIE WEB EXTENDINGBETWEEN AND JOINING THE SAID BUTTON AND BOTTOM OF THE DEPENDING FLANGEOF THE CAP BODY, SAID WEB SUPPORTING THE BUTTON CENTRALIZED IN THE TOPOPENING FOR LIMITED DOWNWARD MOVEMENT TO OPERATE THE VALVE STEM, (F)SAID WEB BEING DOWNWARDLY REMOVED FROM THE TOP EDGE OF SAID CENTEREDOPENING AND THEREBY PARTIALLY CONCEALED FROM VIEW, (G) SAID WEB BEINGDISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE SAME LEVEL AS THE SAID VALVE STEMENGAGEABLE MEANS TO MINIMIZE HORIOZNTAL MOVEMETN OF SAID MEANS WHEN THEBUTTON IS SHIFTED DOWNWARD TO DEPRESS THE VALVE STEM TO ITS DISCHARGINGPOSITION.